Friday, August 14, 2009

Ben Meyercord's Live Music Picks for August 14th

Hello Dear Readers,

I went to a rock show last night (The Ax, and Red Fang). I had a few realizations. A) I don't see heavier music nearly enough. B) The louder the music is the taller the crowd is. I have been going to a lot of wussy shows lately (because I love wussy music) and I have felt a normal height, actually sometime a bit tall. Last night I was hands down the shortest man there. Crazy. Any way, here are some shows for tonight.

Friday, August 14th

Worksound is having a show with Hornet Leg, Tunnels, AS/SS, Chrome Wings. These are all pretty exciting bands and if I am not mistaken there has been reference to a Children of the Revolution (a annual Portland music festival) tour, this show being it's kick off. I did a little more research and AS/SS and Chrome Wings are going on tour together. Chrome Wings makes very spacey sometimes ambient leaning pop music (kinda like recent Animal Collective stuff, but less poppy). It seems like a good mix with the spacey Post-punk music that AS/SS comes up with. The show is $ and starts ay 9 PM.

Mile Post 5 is hosting The Manor of Art which is an amazing thing happening for about a week starting today. "Over 100 artists have been invited to turn the yet-to-be-renovated rooms of The Studios building into three floors of installations and exhibits. This 10-day festival will include live music by local bands, theater and performance art, artist round tables, and daily guided tours of the 100+ exhibits." The bands playing today are The Prids, World's Greatest Ghosts, Magic Johnson and Boy Eats Drum Machine. World's Greatest Ghosts are one of the best live bands in Portland. They marry keyboard in guitar melodies to make some of the catchiest pop music you will ever hear. I saw BEDM last year at Mile Post and it was so fun. He mixes many things together through a series of live loops and his laptop, guitar sax and turntables. The Prids make shoegaze influenced music. The whole thing is FREE. and starts at 6 PM.

Berbati's is having a show with SubArachnoid Space, Thrones (Salem), Rabbits, Palo Verde and Fist Fite. This is a showcase of some of the better heavier music that Portland has to offer. Thrones set at PDX Pop! was one of the highlights for me. I remember being impressed when I saw SubArachnoid Space at last year's PDX Pop fest. Palo Verde is a loud improv duo that features LKN on drums. Fist Fite are awesome. The show is $7 and starts at 9 PM.

Mississippi Studios is having a show with Sean Hayes, Nick Jaina and Leonard Mynx. My friend Luz from Y La Bamba loves Sean Hayes' voice. Within a few days of meeting her she was trying to get me to see him play (he happened to be in town). He does an upbeat folk thing. Nick Jaina on the other hand is usually a downer. In such a good way though. Plus he has assembled one of the best bands in town. Leonard Mynx is a songwriting machine. If all goes according to plan he will have released four albums in two years by years end. Crazy. Because he has so many songs it doesn't come as a surprise that he dabbles in a lot of different "sounds". I have his seen him folk, pop, and rock. But usually it is various combinations of all these styles. The show is $12-14 and starts at 8 PM.

Backspace is having a benefit show for Portland Community Transitional School. They have The Hugs, Midnight Callers, Ghosties, and 1776 playing. "For our students, school is a refuge from the trauma and hardships of poverty and uncertainty—a place where they feel a sense of community and belonging. This is a place where they have room to learn, laugh with friends and build hope." —Cheryl M. Bickle, Principal and Teacher. Sounds like a good cause. The bands look pretty good too. Most them are thankfully pretty easy to categorize. The Hugs are garage pop. Midnight Callers and 1776 are power pop. Ghosties on the other hand is harder to categorize. It is good and the recordings sound like someone who makes lo-fi made at home indie rock music. It sounds good. All proceeds from you suggested $5 donations will go towards PCTS. The ALL AGES show starts at 8 PM.

Also, if you are home early from a show, or up late. KBOO 90.7 fm is having a show with Sarcastic Dharma Society, Padriac FinbarHagerty-Hammond, and Meyercord (me, what?!?) very late tonight. I think that Sarcastic Dharma Society's songs are so well written and so well arranged (He has a band now, which incidentally features Fin aka Padraic FinbarHagerty-Hammond) that he is for sure one of my favorite artists. Fin also plays very very well written songs I am unsure if he has a band or not (I have only seen him solo and it has been great). He has this one song called Xmas song that almost me cry every time (I don't cry). I will be debuting a new singer tonight named Holland. You can hear her music here. The show is called "The Outside World" and starts at midnight and lasts until 3 am. I guess it is technically tomorrow, but whatevs. You can listen at 09.7 fm or online here.

So if you see me tonight. At a show. Say, "Hi". If you see me and I am not at a show, that is dumb and you should say nothing.

-Ben

Ghosties are being very charitable tonight. You should too, go to Backspace.